Iranian film director and screenwriter, internationally acclaimed for intimate dramas
The Venice Biennale is reopening Russia’s pavilion for the first time since 2022 amid protests and a mass jury resignation over entries from states facing ICC charges. The international jury has resigned, and the festival is facing scrutiny from the EU and Italy as debates over artistic neutrality and politics intensify.
As Cannes opens, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has described civilian deaths in Iran as extremely cruel and tragic, saying cinema can condemn violence while supporting censorship-free work abroad. His Paris-set Parallel Tales is in competition.